Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-06-04
LIME AS A FERTILIZER.


a pennsylvania Farmers Account OF the
Effects of Its Use.
In this part of the country lime is the
principal fertilizer outside of barnyard
manure. As the soil is naturally very
thin we have to use something from
the word "go' to keep up the fertility.
| think there is nothing that will, for
the same outlay of money, give as much
in return. If land is properly made up
with lime, and then properly farmed,
no one will ever live to see it need any
more. Last summer a neighbor called
my attention. to u narrow strip across
one of his oat fields which wa three or
four inches taller than the rest, and
explained that the cause of it was lit
had a small coat of lime iifty-two years
ago." and yet it showed on every crop
TO the present time. If the land on
which it is applied is extremely poor
| md there is no sod, it should always
have u little manure to put on with it
to give the lime something to work on.
1t is rather slow in its work. You sell
dom eyer see any benefit from its use
till you sow in clover and then break
| up the sod. And then there is no crop,
| at least none raised here, on which it is
not very beneficial. Low clay ground
that is naturally wet and cold, unless
perfectly underdrained, is n poor place
for lime. 1t shows much the best on
high, dry, grayely soils. If low wet
ground is plowed when not in proper
order on account of moisture, where
lime has been used, ii seems to destroy
its effects entirely. Here is II mistake
! many farmers make. Because a neigh
Dor who has high land can plow, they
will too, even if the water runs after
them in the furrow.
When lime is properly applied its eff
feet IN the soil is something similar to
yeast in dough for bread. 1t seems to
give it life and make it light and mel
low. But in order to get the full bcnc-
fit of it we must put it on in proper
style-that is, we must put it on when
fresh burnt; the hotter the better. Old
refuse lime that has become wet from
exposure is practically worthless. 1t
must be so you can scatter it on like
flour, as evenly as possible, and then
should be narrowed in without rain.
Where it is wet and lies over the field
in Jumps it never mixes with the soil
and apparently does no good.
The amount TO be used depends on
the former fertility of the ground to
which it is applied, the amount you
have on hand, the time you have to
spare without making your crop late,
etc. The old idea entertained by our
grandfathors, that too much would kill
the ground, is extremely fallacious.
We have used from 100 to 1000 bushels
per acre and eve lost q crop on ac-
count of putting on too much. We
usually use 800 or 400 bushels per acre,
and then before we SOW down in clover,
give a top-dressing of manure, which
insures u good catch. Then let it lie q
couple of years and put in corn, and
we eve fail to get n crop.
Land that has been lined to any ex-
tent is scarcely ever troubled with
worms, which is no small item some
times. From past experience l would
say there Is no better fertilizer for an
orchard than hot lime. 1t promotes
Tho growth Of the trees, Is destructive
to insects. and surely benefit, the fruit.
- YeHango (Pa,) Gov, Ohio Farmer,